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Louisburg USD 416 mulls fees, schedules for use of West Gym
LARA appeals to school board to forgo charging fees, requests gym time
By Kristen Waggener, kwaggener@miconews.com
Facility use and fees may once again be on the forefront of Louisburg citizens’ minds as the USD 416 Board of Education wrestles with those issues, primarily in regards to the West Gym.
“By far, the most challenging facility for us to manage is the West Gym,” said Superintendent Rick Doll.
Including utility, labor and material costs, the district spends more than $30,000 each year to run and maintain the West Gym, according to documents presented at Monday night’s board meeting, in addition to the approximately $122,000 in long-term maintenance costs associated with the gym’s upkeep. The city of Louisburg has been wrestling with similar monetary concerns over maintaining Lewis-Young Park.
“I think there’s a need to recoup the expenses,” school board president Paul Kircher said. “We’re talking about another teacher for gosh sakes.”
Facilities Manager Mike Clevenger said some of the issues associated with the West Gym include groups over-scheduling their needs and juggling multiple groups’ conflicting requests for gym time.
Board member Jimmy Allen said though he is in favor of limiting groups’ use of the West Gym to three hours per week, for instance, he does not like the idea of charging fees for its use.
Other board members, including Lou Davis, agreed.
“Any costs we pass on to (groups like Louisburg Area Recreation Association), they pass on to the parents,” Davis said.
LARA has been the heaviest user of the West Gym in the past few years, Clevenger said, logging more than 550 hours of time in the months of October through February.
Representatives from LARA, including president Jane Batten, attended Monday night’s meeting and requested the board block out times from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday during basketball season.
“That’s what we require,” Batten said.
The board took no action on the issue Monday. Instead, it requested groups interested in using the West Gym submit written comments to the board for review at its June meeting.
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“By far, the most challenging facility for us to manage is the West Gym,” said Superintendent Rick Doll.
Including utility, labor and material costs, the district spends more than $30,000 each year to run and maintain the West Gym, according to documents presented at Monday night’s board meeting, in addition to the approximately $122,000 in long-term maintenance costs associated with the gym’s upkeep. The city of Louisburg has been wrestling with similar monetary concerns over maintaining Lewis-Young Park.
“I think there’s a need to recoup the expenses,” school board president Paul Kircher said. “We’re talking about another teacher for gosh sakes.”
Facilities Manager Mike Clevenger said some of the issues associated with the West Gym include groups over-scheduling their needs and juggling multiple groups’ conflicting requests for gym time.
Board member Jimmy Allen said though he is in favor of limiting groups’ use of the West Gym to three hours per week, for instance, he does not like the idea of charging fees for its use.
Other board members, including Lou Davis, agreed.
“Any costs we pass on to (groups like Louisburg Area Recreation Association), they pass on to the parents,” Davis said.
LARA has been the heaviest user of the West Gym in the past few years, Clevenger said, logging more than 550 hours of time in the months of October through February.
Representatives from LARA, including president Jane Batten, attended Monday night’s meeting and requested the board block out times from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday during basketball season.
“That’s what we require,” Batten said.
The board took no action on the issue Monday. Instead, it requested groups interested in using the West Gym submit written comments to the board for review at its June meeting.